


Escape from Rodia

by ragdoll-hux (sparkinthedark)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Betaed, Enemies to Lovers, Fanart, First Kiss, M/M, Minor Injuries, Mutual Pining, Rodians, Sharing Body Heat, Survival, Violence, hux's battle strategy skills, kylo's piloting skills, overly detailed description of building a fire, the first order hates aliens, well more like resentful co-workers to lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-15 04:05:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16055213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparkinthedark/pseuds/ragdoll-hux
Summary: The Supreme Leader and his Grand Marshal were shot down while travelling to the Rodian home world, to agree their terms of surrender. They made it down to the planet in one piece but their escort troops were killed. Now stranded on a dangerous planet with no ship, no comms, and no backup, they have to get through the dense forest on foot, and find a way to signal for help.





	Escape from Rodia

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for the the Kylux Mini Bang 2018. Including artwork from the wonderful and talented [madeofplasma](http://madeofplasma.tumblr.com)!  
> Also a big thank you to [penny-riled](http://penny-riled.tumblr.com) for beta reading this fic.

Grand Marshal Hux was very pleased with his promotion; being the head of The First Order’s military was what he had always wanted. Unfortunately his new role made it essential for him to work closely with the new Supreme Leader. Ren had been a thorn in his side for years, but having him as his superior had made him a good deal more of an annoyance. He never took Hux's advice, he terrorised the crew, and his lack of political acumen had alienated First Order high command. All-in-all Hux had no faith in his leadership skills, and today was no different.

The planet Rodia had been a target for a First Order takeover for many years, due to its heavy industry, galaxy-renowned weapons factories, and alien population that could be put to work. As such, the Order had spent a good deal of time and resources trying to pacify the Rodian population, including a full-scale orbital bombardment of one of the planet's larger cities, and today they were finally going to reap the rewards. The Rodians had finally agreed to surrender, so Hux and Ren were both going planetside to finalize the terms.

Hux had wanted a large show of force for this important moment, and maybe even an audience of important members of First Order high command. The Supreme Leader, however, had insisted that it was unnecessary, that Hux was only interested in showing off, and that his force powers were more than enough to defend them if they were to be attacked. After a rather loud discussion, Ren had agreed to one dropship of troops, but no more, and he insisted that he should still pilot himself. So here they were, alone in Ren’s personal shuttle, being tailed by one dropship. It was less than ideal.

“What?” Ren asked suddenly, not looking away from the viewport.

“What do you mean ' _what_ ’?” Hux snapped in return, irritated by Ren’s nonsensical question. He was sitting in the co-pilot’s seat, even though Ren required no co-pilot.

“I can feel you sulking from here.”

“I’m not sulking, Ren, I am simply dissatisfied in our plan of action, as you are already aware.”

Ren rolled his eyes, but didn't push the subject any further. Hux let out a loud huff, and folded his arms dramatically. “Going to a handover with this few troops is completely idiotic.”

“You mentioned that,” Ren replied with a sigh.

“The terms haven't even been decided, they could still attack us.”

“Don't worry Hux, I won't let anyone assassinate you,” Ren smirked.

Hux was tempted to smack him, but restrained himself; he wasn't in the mood to be flung across the cockpit like a rag doll. “You are unbelievable, and completely missing the point. This was a perfect opportunity to showcase the might of The First Order, to show those who would oppose us the consequence of such action. I should never have agreed to—”

“Shut up a minute,” Ren demanded suddenly, cutting Hux off mid rant. Hux was about to yell at him for his rudeness, but an alarm coming from the dashboard silenced him. Hux knew the meaning of every alarm in the book, and that one was certainly the proximity alert.

“You better strap in, it's going to get bumpy,” Kylo said, while he did up his own harness, and fired up the weapons systems.

“Kriff,” Hux cursed. He rushed to get his own harness on before Ren could pull any insane manoeuvres. The second Hux was clipped in, Ren pulled the ship into a hard right-hand turn, forcing Hux against his restraints. The green light of blaster fire flashed in front of them as Ren fired on an incoming target; Hux only just had enough time to be able to tell it was a torpedo, and not an enemy ship, before it blew up in front of them.

“Four left,” Ren murmured, clearly talking to himself. Hux felt useless just sitting there, but there was nothing he could do, he had to trust in Ren’s abilities to get them out of this alive. Although if it weren't for Ren’s belligerence they wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. Their attackers had obviously seen Ren's small and recognizable shuttle as an easy target, completely exposed by their lack of escort ships.

Suddenly, the troop transport hurtled past the viewport, engulfed in red flame. At least that meant one less torpedo for them, Hux thought selfishly. He watched as the transport fell with increasing speed towards the planet and a fiery death. But there was no time to dwell on the loss, as that moment the proximity alert sped up, warning them of a torpedo getting closer. Ren flipped the ship backwards into a loop and came out behind the target, which he quickly destroyed with a push of his thumb on the trigger. _Two left_ , Hux told himself, maybe Ren could pull this off.

The next few seconds felt like hours, as Ren dived and flipped the ship around, trying to get the remaining torpedoes off their tail, the violent motion of the ship was making Hux feel nauseous. Or maybe that was just fear. A few seconds later Ren had managed to get another torpedo in his sights, then blasted it from the sky. But the last one was still on them and, by the sound of the proximity alert, it was very close.

“Ren!” Hux squeaked in alarm; a noise that he would have been embarrassed about if he weren't too busy fearing for his life. A second later the ship rocked violently as the torpedo crashed into the back of them, then an electric charge crackled over the whole ship; proton torpedo. They weren't dead yet, but with the engines and electrics fried this far above the ground it was only a matter of time.

“We’re dead. You've killed us, Ren! Why didn't you just _listen_ to me?” Hux yelled. The fear was too much now, he could feel himself becoming hysterical, and had no power to stop it.

“Stop panicking and let me concentrate,” Ren said firmly. Hux almost laughed at the notion. Instead he concentrated on his breathing, and watched as Ren piloted with an almost alarming calmness. Ren pulled a lever which made the wings of the ship flatten out to slow their decent, but they were still falling far too fast. Hux could no longer bear to look as they hurtled towards the ground, so he squeezed his eyes shut.

“Brace for impact!” Ren shouted over the creaking of the bulkheads. Hux wrapped his arms around himself, kept his eyes shut, and the ship crashed to the ground with an almighty smashing noise, throwing them against their harnesses. Hux didn't dare open his eyes.

“Hux?” Ren asked. He sounded far away. “Hux, are you okay?” When he didn't answer Ren touched his shoulder to get his attention. Hux's eyes flew open at that, and he shoved Ren away from him.

“Don't touch me!” Hux cried out. “You idiot, you nearly got us killed, you arrogant arsehole!” He tugged at his harness with shaking hands, trying to get away from Ren, but the fastening must have been damaged in the crash and would not release him. He let out a frustrated huff and gave up.

“It's okay, you're safe now,” Ren said in a soothing tone. “Let me help you.”

“Fine,” Hux spat. He balled his hands up into fists in an attempt to stop them from shaking. Ren reached over him to pick up his arm, and slid his knife out of its hiding place in his sleeve. Hux had been so distressed he’d completely forgotten about it. Ren quickly cut the straps of Hux’s harness and freed him from his chair.

“Come on, let's check out where we landed,” Ren said as he offered Hux his hand to help him up. Hux begrudgingly allowed him to help, as his legs were still shaking. The door had deformed in the crash, and Ren had to use the force to shove it open and let them outside. Hux's heart sank when he saw what was waiting for them. All he could see was dense forest in every direction, not a sentient being in sight. Hux punched Ren in the arm.

“Ouch!” Ren whined. He rubbed the place where Hux had punched him, although Hux suspected that was only for show, and he hadn't actually hurt him.

“This is your fault,” Hux said.

“Yes, you mentioned.”

“I assume the comms got fried by the proton blast?” Hux asked.

“Yep. Tried it on the way down, completely dead,” Ren replied with a shrug.

“How can you be so calm? We’re stranded way off course, my troopers are dead, all of our electronics are fried, and we can't even call up to the fleet for an evac!”

“We can walk to the nearest settlement and use their comm. There should be some rations in the ship.” Ren went back to the ship, with Hux hot on his heels, and he started rummaging around in the cargo compartment.

“You want us to walk through _that_?” Hux asked, pointing towards the exit of the shuttle to the filthy, humid forest beyond.

“Just be thankful we didn't land on the other side of the planet,” Ren replied. “It's mainly swamps over there.” He didn't even look up from his current task. Hux shuddered in disgust at the very idea of having to wade through a muddy swamp. At least he wouldn't have to do that. He watched as Ren found a large rucksack and started stuffing it with ration packs and water.

“We’ll need med-packs as well,” Hux chimed in. Ren rolled his eyes. “You can't seem to go a week without injuring yourself, and if the beings on this planet attacked us already then they won't just let us use their comm tower.”

“Fine, fine,” Ren allowed. “But you're going to have to carry them.”

A few minutes later Ren had packed two bags full of survival gear, one noticeably smaller than the other, and bought them outside. Unsurprisingly Ren handed Hux the smaller of the two. Hux knew he should be offended that Ren didn't think he was as strong as him, but he knew it was true, and when he felt the weight of his bag he was grateful for the smaller load. Hiking through this dense forest was going to be hard for someone who had spent almost thirty years living in space.

“How far do you think we will have to walk?” Hux asked, as they both fastened the bags to their backs. When Hux secured the support strap, the weight pressed down on his chest where his harness had cut into him during the crash. It ached, but he chose to ignore it.

“Not too far. Four days hike maybe,” Ren replied. Hux's heart sank. He was already working up a sweat from the humidity, and the native insect life was eating him alive; he really wasn't cut out for life planetside. Unfortunately he couldn't think of any other way out of their predicament, and once again he would have to trust Ren to get them out of it.

———

Ren knew he had made a mistake, but dwelling on it now wouldn't help their situation. He thought Hux would berate him for at least the first few hours of their hike, but he was oddly quiet, the sound of his boots and his laboured breathing the only reminder he was there at all. That and the almost overwhelming amounts of distress that Hux was projecting into the force. He knew Hux was more used to the controlled environment of a spaceship, but he didn't think he’d struggle quite this much. Ren would need to look out for Hux if they were going to make it.

“We should take a break,” Ren said suddenly. He heard Hux gasp, and turned to look at him, seeing him almost bent double. “Are you okay?” he asked. Hux didn't answer, just tried to catch his breath. “Here, let's take that bag, and you should definitely take the coat off.”

“Su- sure,” Hux replied, breathless. Ren helped him remove his bag and coat, and sat him down on the ground, leaning against a tree. Hux shut his eyes, grimacing, while Ren got some food and water out of one of the bags.

“Drink,” Ren demanded as he shoved a bottle of water into his hands. Hux took the water without a word and drank. “Were you hurt in the crash and didn't tell me?” Ren asked.

“My chest hurts,” Hux told him. He looked embarrassed. Ren sighed, then knelt down on the forest floor to take a closer look.

“Alright, let me see.” He moved to undo Hux's uniform shirt, but Hux flinched and pushed his hands away. “Don't be ridiculous, Hux, I can't help you if you don't let me look.”

“Why do you care all of a sudden?” Hux snapped. He folded his arms across his chest and deliberately looked away.

“I need you alive, Hux, and if we keep going at this pace we’re never going to get off this planet,” Ren said. “So please, let me help.”

Hux sighed, but relented, and unfolded his arms so Ren could unfasten his uniform. Ren was very careful as he undid his shirt, and he noticed Hux flush an even deeper shade of red. When the shirt was open he untucked his vest and pushed it up to reveal his bare chest. His skin felt hot, but goosebumps sprang up where Ren touched him. Ren gasped in surprise when he finally saw Hux's injury. His chest was purpling all over with bruises, roughly in the shape of the harness that held him in place during the crash. He gently pressed his fingers against Hux's rib, causing the other man to wince in pain.

“Why didn't you tell me?” Ren asked. “I think you’ve broken a rib.” Hux was looking anywhere but at Ren, his face bright red with embarrassment.

“I didn't want you to think I’m weak.” Ren felt a pang of sympathy at that, but he quickly squashed it down. Instead, he pulled Hux’s bag closer to him so he could get out the med kit that Hux had told him to bring. It occurred to him that the other man’s injury was probably the reason he insisted on bringing it in the first place. Ren quickly found what he was looking for: a tube of bacta gel and some painkillers. He started with the painkillers which were administered by a shot into his neck, then came the bacta. Hux gasped when Ren applied the gel onto his chest; surely due to the sudden coldness, and nothing else. Ren couldn’t let himself think _that_.

“There, all done,” Ren announced. Hux quickly pulled his vest back down to cover himself, then he did up his shirt.

“I- thank you Ren,” Hux said when he was dressed again; still deliberately avoiding eye contact.

“Don’t mention it,” Ren replied. He put the med kit away again, then pulled out two tubes of rations. “Eat all of this,” he said as he passed the rations to Hux. He knew Hux had a habit of forgetting to eat, but with the amount of energy they would both expend walking in this heat, he wouldn’t be able to get away with that without getting incredibly weak. He needed to make sure Hux ate enough.

“Stop mothering me Ren, it’s very disconcerting,” Hux said; sounding much more like his old self. Clearly he was feeling much better.

“Just eat it will you?” Ren said with a mouthful of food. Hux rolled his eyes, but Ren noticed a twitch at the edge of his mouth that looked suspiciously like a smile.

———

Without a chronometer Hux was really struggling to keep track of time. It felt like they had been walking for days, but the sun was still up, so it couldn't have been more than a few hours. He tried to recall how long the days were supposed to be on this planet, but he was struggling to remember. He thought he had read the Rodia data file thoroughly prior to the mission, and he could remember most of the details about military strength, current technology, political factions, and even possible allies; he must have neglected the parts he thought were of no value to him. In his defence, he couldn't have know he was going to be put in this situation.

As the day wore on, Hux continued to trudge along after his Supreme Leader, always feeling like he was trying to catch up. His uniform was soiled with his own sweat, his feet ached in his scuffed boots, and insects continually tried to bite his exposed skin. He prayed for the sun to finally set, to give him a break from the stifling, muggy heat, and so it would get dark enough for Ren to let them stop for the night. _Kriff_ , Hux thought, _Ren better not be planning to walk through the night_.

A few hours later, as the sun finally started to set, they came across a small clearing in the trees. Ren stopped walking and surveyed their surroundings, then once he was satisfied he took his bag off his shoulders. “We can stop here for the night,” Ren announced.

Hux sighed in relief and dropped his own bag onto the ground; the rest of him quickly followed. He wiped his forehead with his hand, and grimaced when it came away dripping with sweat. He desperately needed to use a ‘fresher. He took his personal hygiene very seriously; decades of living in close quarters with recycled air had taught him how important it was, but out here? He would just have to stink. The very idea of it repulsed him.

“Stay here,” Ren told him. “I’m going to find some firewood.”

“Some _what_ now?” Hux asked, alarmed. It was only just starting to drop cool enough for him to stop sweating.

“It gets very cold here at night,” Ren informed him. Damn _,_ Hux thought, Ren must have read the data file more thoroughly then he had _._ He had to admit that stung his pride a little. “I won't be long,” Ren said before he walked off back into the trees, leaving Hux alone.

The second Ren was out of earshot he groaned and flopped onto his back on the forest floor. Every muscle in his body ached; he hadn't hurt like this since sparring practice at the academy, when his fellow students had relished taking down the skinny kid who outsmarted them in all their classes. The joke was on them, though, as the repeated beatings only taught him how to fight dirty, to win at all costs. By the time he graduated, his sparring instructor had all but banned him from the class, citing his vicious and underhand tactics as a genuine danger to the other students. Once after class he overhead the instructor talking about him to another member of the faculty. He branded him a psychopath; but Hux supposed that almost biting someone's ear clean off would give one that reputation.

The ground was starting to feel surprisingly comfortable, and he could feel his eyes starting to droop. The next thing he knew was Ren leaning over him, shaking his shoulder to wake him from his accidental slumber. Hux groaned and tried to shove him off, barely managing to open his eyes.

“You can't sleep like that,” Ren said as he pulled Hux into a seated position. “You need to eat first.”

“Fine. Okay. I’m up,” Hux said. Now that his eyes were open, he noticed that it had got significantly darker, and colder, and there was a fire burning nearby. Ren must have let him sleep while he built the fire. He was grateful for that.

“C’mon, I found a log for you to sit on,” Ren said. He held out his hand to help him to his feet, and Hux took it without complaint. Once he was sitting down, Ren sat crossed legged on the ground, and went into his bag to take out two more ration packs. Hux let himself give Ren a small smile as his took one of the packs.

“How's the ribs?” Ren asked at length. Hux paused from eating his rations to answer the question.

“It still hurts but it's bearable,” Hux said. This new attitude of Ren's was really quite unnerving, it wasn't that he didn't appreciate it, but he didn't understand it, it seemed so out of character for him.

“You should take some more painkillers before we set out tomorrow,” Ren suggested. Hux nodded in agreement, and they continued eating in silence. The sounds of the forest, and the low crackle of the fire, were so different to the continual hum of engines he was used to aboard his ship, he found it a nice change; almost relaxing.

By the time they had finished eating, Hux was starting to feel the cold that Ren had promised would follow the sunset. Wordlessly, Ren began to dig out blankets from his bag, and laid them out on the ground on opposite sides of the fire.

“There weren't any survival sleeping bags in the ship, but with the fire these blankets should keep us warm enough,” Ren explained. “You might find it better to sleep on top of your greatcoat as well, to keep out the cold from the ground.”

“I didn't know you were such a survival expert, Ren,” Hux commented; stifling a yawn. Ren just shrugged, and concentrated on making his bed for the night; laying his cloak over his blanket, then unfurling a second one to sleep under. Hux followed suit, and laid his coat on the ground before lying on top of it. He unfurled a second blanket to cover himself, and settled down to sleep. The forest floor should have been uncomfortable, but he was so tired from the hike that he could feel himself falling asleep almost immediately.

———

Ren woke up before sunrise, to the sound of movement in the clearing. He kept still, pretending to still be asleep, and reached out with the force. He very subtly reached for his lightsaber under the blanket, ready to attack. It was Hux. Ren groaned and let himself relax, then sat up to see what he was doing. What he saw was the other man wrapped in blankets, poking at the remains of the fire with a stick.

“Hux, what are you doing?” Ren asked warily.

“It's too kriffing cold,” Hux complained. “It was too hot before and now it's freezing! Hells, I hate this place.”

Ren was tired; he didn't have the energy to deal with this right now. He needed more sleep.

“Share my body heat if you want,” Ren suggested.

“Don’t be absurd,” Hux scoffed, as if the very idea of it repulsed him. Ren hadn't expected Hux to say yes, but the rejection still hurt his feelings. He hated himself for that.

“Suit yourself.” Ren turned onto his side, facing away from Hux, and tried to get back to sleep. With Hux still bustling around and muttering to himself, that was easier said than done. “Go to sleep, Hux!” Ren called out after a while. He didn't even try to hide his irritation.

“Can't you help me get the fire going again?” Hux asked. He sounded whiny, and Ren knew he wasn't going to get any sleep until he had done what Hux asked. “I put more wood on it, but it went out.”

Ren sighed dramatically, and rolled over to take a look. “Of course it went out, you smothered it,” Ren said, when he saw that Hux had just dumped the largest logs he could find on the top. “That's _way_ too much wood.”

“Surely the more wood there is, the bigger the fire will be,” Hux said; sounding genuinely confused.

“That’s really not how fires work.” It was Ren’s turn to scoff now.

“How am I supposed to know how _fires_ work, Ren!” Hux said, exasperated. “When's the last time you saw a fire on a star destroyer? And no, that time you started one whilst attacking a control panel with your lightsaber doesn't count.”

Ren didn't reply to that; he didn't like being reminded of times when he had lost control. He was trying to get past all that, with only limited success. Instead, he used the force to remove some of the bigger logs that were suffocating the fire. Once air could get to the dying flames, the fire began to flicker with new life.

“Thank you,” Hux said. He sounded genuinely grateful, which was a surprise. Ren didn't really know what to say, so he just watched as Hux warmed his hands up over the flames, then got back into his makeshift bed.

The next morning was still rather cold, but with the sun coming up quickly it wouldn't stay that way for long. Ren looked over at the bundle of blankets that contained Grand Marshal Hux. He had curled himself into what could only be described as a fetal position during the night, and Ren couldn't help but find it endearing that such a vicious man could look so vulnerable.

“Hux, wake up,” Ren said, a lot louder than necessary. Hux startled awake, and looked around wildly, as if he didn't know where he was. Maybe he should have woken him more gently, he thought, but quickly dismissed the idea as sentimental nonsense. Hux didn't deserve to be treated gently; he’d kill him in a heartbeat if he thought he could take his title. He should do well to remember that.

“It wasn't a nightmare,” Hux groaned. Clearly he had remembered where he was now.

“Nope. You're stuck with me, I’m afraid,” Ren said, more viciously then he had intended to. He really needed to keep a lid on these new emotions.

“I’m stuck with you regardless,” Hux replied, amused. “It's this planet that's a nightmare.”

“Oh.” He had misunderstood.

“I don't hate you, you know, I just-” Hux trailed off.

“You just think you should be leader instead of me.” Ren finished his sentence for him. Hux shrugged, but didn't deny it. He should be grateful Hux didn't try to lie to him; that was progress at least.

He didn't want to talk about this anymore. “We should eat something,” Ren said, changing the subject. “Then we need to get going.”

“Of course,” Hux replied. He went to one of the bags and got out their morning rations, then handed one Ren. It was a very small gesture, but Ren appreciated it.

Within fifteen minutes they were on their way again, bags repacked, and hiking through the relentless forest. As they walked, Ren reached out with the force, focusing in on the nearest collection of lifeforms he could sense, to make sure they were still going the right direction. He considered telling Hux that this was how he had been navigating, but the other man had never trusted the force, as if he were terrified of any power that he could not wield himself. No, Hux would not appreciate knowing that their chances of escaping this planet hung on the power of the force.

It felt less humid today, the air not quite so heavy, which would have meant faster progress if it weren't for the thickening of the forest itself. Ren found that every few minutes they had to stop to deal with branches and vines that blocked their path. At first slashing at the vegetation with his lightsaber felt rather cathartic; but after a few hours of stopping and starting it was just exhausting.

They were both relieved when it was time to stop for a break, and they both sat down against a large tree truck. Ren noticed that their arms and thighs were touching, but they were both too tired to move apart. Not that Ren wanted to. Hux looked so beautiful as he rested his head against the tree, his eyes closed and hair a mess. Ren felt a sudden urge to smooth his hair back and wrap an arm around him. He cursed himself for even considering it; Hux may have claimed not to hate him, but that didn't mean he would tolerate such affectionate behaviour.

———

After their break, they continued on slowly for the rest of the day. Hux was feeling so tired that it was all he could do to put one foot in front of the other and try not to fall down. It didn't help that he had got next to no sleep the night before; he was so used to being lulled to sleep by the steady hum of engines that the sporadic sounds of the alien forest had kept him awake. That and the cold.

They didn't talk to each other for the rest of the afternoon, and the silence felt awkward somehow, without their usual bickering. Eventually, as the sun started to set, they stopped for the evening to make camp. Or what passed for a camp with their limited supplies.

“I can help you find the firewood,” Hux suggested, just as Ren was about to walk off.

“There's no need,” Ren replied. “Just rest for a bit, I’ll be back soon.” Then he was off without another word, leaving Hux alone.

As he sat on the forest floor, listening to the unusual sounds of the forest all around him, he began to feel unsafe. Ren had only been gone for a few minutes, and he already wanted him to come back. Instead of dwelling on that thought, he decided to make himself useful. He unpacked the blankets and lay them out on the ground next to each other, then got out their food and water rations for the evening. He only realised that he had set their bedding too close together when Ren returned to the clearing with his arms full of wood.

“How did you do that so quickly?” Hux asked. For a moment Ren didn't answer, as his eyes wandered towards the blankets Hux had put out. He couldn't help but flush bright red at his error.

“Lightsaber,” Ren said eventually, as he put the wood down in a heap. Apparently he wasn't going to mention the bedding.

“Of course.”

Hux sat on his blanket and watched as Ren carefully arranged the wood how he wanted it, with small twigs at the bottom, and larger bits in a rough pyramid shape over the top. He then ignited his lightsaber and used it to set fire to the small twigs at the bottom of the pile. Ren blew into the sparks of flame so it would spread slowly through the wood; making it pop and crackle. Hux found the whole thing fascinating; who would have thought lighting a fire would be so difficult.

Eventually Ren seemed satisfied with his fire, and sat down on his own blanket next to Hux. Hux passed him his rations, and Ren grunted in a manner that might have been gratitude. He still didn't mention the bedding. They ate in companionable silence, by the light of the crackling fire, and for a mad moment Hux felt compelled to rest his head on Ren's shoulder. He blamed it on his fatigue.

“How are your ribs feeling?” Ren asked.

“Not too bad,” Hux said, after he swallowed his mouthful of food. “I’ve been taking the painkillers, but I should probably get it looked at when we get back to the ship. If-”

“There's no _if_ , Hux,” Ren cut in. He squeezed Hux's shoulder encouragingly. “We’ll get out of this, I promise.”

“All right, I- I believe you Ren,” Hux said. He wasn't completely confident, but he could tell Ren was, and maybe that was enough. There was nothing else to say after that, so they continued to eat in silence.

When they were finished, Hux got ready for his second night sleeping out in the open. He hadn't showered or brushed his teeth for two days now, and he felt absolutely grotesque. His feet felt sore and swollen inside his boots, and the insect bites around his hairline were starting to itch. The best he could do was swill some water around his mouth, and remove his boots. He groaned in relief when he finally pulled them off. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ren smirk at him.

“This isn't funny, Ren,” Hux protested. “Not all of us here are as comfortable being covered in filth as you are.”

Hux was aiming for a cutting blow with his remark, but Ren just shrugged, and kicked his own boots off. _Infuriating_. He sighed to himself and got under the blankets; lying with his back to Ren. For a little while Hux could hear Ren fidgeting behind him, until he eventually lay down to sleep. Hux was trying to relax the tension in his shoulders and get to sleep, when Ren’s large form pressed against his back, and his arm wrapped around his middle.

“Ren, what the devil are you doing?” Hux asked in astonishment.

“Is this not what you wanted?” Ren murmured against him; making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

“I don't,” Hux began, but paused, thinking it through. He hoped it was dark enough that Ren couldn't see the flush that was inevitably covering the back of his neck. “I don't know what I wanted.”

Ren wrapped his arm tighter around Hux's waist and nuzzled the back of his head. Hux sighed; it felt wonderful. But as Ren inhaled the scent of his hair, something occurred to him. “Don't I stink?” Hux asked, grimacing.

“We both stink, don't worry about it,” Ren replied with a small chuckle. Hux hummed in agreement, and let himself relax into Ren’s arms. He felt so warm and comfortable that it wasn't long until he felt himself falling asleep.

When Hux woke the next morning he found he couldn't move. After a split second of panic he realised why; Ren was clinging to him. He now had a leg slung over him as well as his arm, and was snoring softly in his ear. It felt rather nice to be so close to someone, to feel their warmth against him, to see the vulnerability of a face soft with sleep. He didn't want to move, but eventually Ren began to stir next to him.

“Morning,” Ren said; his voice still rough with sleep.

“Yes, morning Ren,” Hux said stiffly. “You can get off me now.” Ren huffed a laugh at that, and untangled himself from other man. He felt cold and empty now he was gone.

Hux sighed heavily. It was time to get going; another full day of hiking was ahead of them, but at least today he had got enough sleep.

———

Ren was feeling good this morning. It had been a long time since he had slept next to anyone, and he had forgotten how nice it was. Hux had been a bit awkward with him when they woke up in each other’s arms, but he knew he had felt the same way; he wouldn't have put their bedding so close together if he hadn't wanted it too. Having Hux in his arms, sleeping softy next to him, his face relaxed and peaceful, had been wonderful, so he hoped Hux would allow it again tonight.

As they walked that day the trees started to thin out, and they could now walk side-by-side, instead of having Hux trailing behind him. They talked occasionally throughout the day, without getting into a single argument, which was incredibly rare for them. Despite still being stranded, it seemed that Hux was the most calm he had been since the crash. Ren tried a few times to make him smile, adding humour to his tales of previous missions, and was surprised to find it actually worked.

They had made good progress that day thanks to the easier terrain, but eventually the sun began to set, and they had to stop once again. As he had done for the past few nights, Ren went off to collect some firewood, leaving Hux in the clearing he had selected for their camp.

He scanned the forest floor as he walked, searching for a tree that had already fallen. There was no point cutting down a tree himself as the wood would be too wet, so a tree dried out by the heat would work better. It didn't take long for Ren to find what he was looking for. He got out his lightsaber and quickly cut the wood into logs, his saber slicing through the tree with ease. Once he had enough logs he then cut off some small twigs for kindling, and gathered it all into his arms to carry back to the clearing.

When he got back he noticed that Hux had put their bedding out once again, and it was as close together as last time. Kylo couldn't help but smile as he put the wood down, then started to arrange it how he wanted it. A few minutes later the fire had started to catch, and Kylo could finally relax. He sat down on the blankets next to Hux, and the other man handed him his ration pack. Ren thanked him, and quickly tore into the packet. He was getting more hungry as the days went on; the rations weren't really enough calories for him, but it was better than nothing. Hopefully they would be back on the ship soon, and he’d be able to eat as much as he wanted.

He finished up quickly, then removed his boots ready for sleep. After the food was gone sleep was really the only thing left to do, and he was very tired. Hux had only just finished eating as he got under the blankets and lay on his back. He watched as Hux pulled his own boots off, and lay down next to him, as close as he could get without actually touching. Ren waited a few seconds to see what he would do, but he made no move to get closer.

“C’mere,” Ren said softy, almost whispering into Hux's ear as he stroked his arm. Hux looked embarrassed, but he tentatively shuffled closer, and draped his arm over Ren’s middle, with his head resting against his chest. Ren sighed happily, put his arms around Hux, and stroked his back gently. Hux made a soft little noise, somewhere between a sigh and a moan, and relaxed against Ren’s chest. The fire lit Hux's features, casting him in a dim golden glow; _kriff he looked beautiful_. Ren couldn't stop looking at him as the other man started to fall asleep, he listened to his breathing slowing down, and the soft, quiet snores that followed. Eventually he closed his eyes, and went to sleep himself.

———

Hux woke that morning to the sound of a bird chirping in a nearby tree; it made a pleasant change to the blaring noise of his alarm that he was used to. He found that he was almost on top of his Supreme Leader, head on his chest, arm and leg curled tightly around him. It was very nice, if not slightly humiliating.

The next thing he noticed was something pressing up against his thigh. Oh _fuck,_ Ren was hard. And still asleep. He should just move away and pretend it hadn't happened; it was a natural reaction to having a warm body next to him, nothing more. But part of him didn't want that, he wanted to rub up against him, wanted to make him _moan_. Hux started to feel aroused at the thought of it. This was escalating too fast, he had to stop this line of thought before he did something he would regret.

Ren began to stir beneath him, and Hux pulled away from him, giving him space. He must have been blushing, so he busied himself with putting his boots on, not looking at him. Ren groaned as he woke, and Hux had to ignore how attractive it sounded.

“Morning,” Ren said, his voice thick with sleep. “You sleep okay?”

Hux didn't look at him when he replied. “I got an acceptable amount of sleep, yes.”

“You sound tense,” Ren said. Hux almost flinched when Ren squeezed his shoulder. “There something wrong?”

“Everything is fine, it's just that-” Hux paused, not knowing what to say. He was starting to feel things for Ren, romantic things, but he didn't know what to do about it. He didn't know if it was _appropriate_ to do anything about it. Hux sighed. “We should get going.”

They said nothing more as they ate their rations, packed up their blankets, and got ready to move out. It would be another long, hard day of walking, and at the moment Hux would prefer that to actually having to think about his feelings, and what they meant.

———

Ren and Hux spent almost the whole day walking, and Rodian force signatures were so close now, Ren could almost smell it; perhaps half a mile away at most. He couldn’t count their numbers accurately, but he would guess less than thirty. This was clearly a very small outpost, but as for its purpose, Ren was none the wiser. It could have been a civilian dwelling or a military outpost; there was no way to know from this distance.

“Hux?” Ren whispered, just loud enough to make himself heard.

“What is it?” Hux replied, matching his hushed tone. He was now fully alert, with his hand hovering over his blaster.

“I can sense Rodians up ahead,” Ren informed him. “About thirty.”

“Could be a military outpost,” Hux suggested. “With a platoon of soldiers.”

“Maybe. Or it could be a small village.”

“There’s no way to be sure, we need more intel,” Hux said. “If it is military then they should have comm facilities.”

“I’ll lead the way,” Ren said, as he unhooked his lightsaber from his belt. He kept it unlit for the moment. “Hopefully we can sneak up on them and find out what they’re up to.”

Hux nodded in response, and unholstered his blaster; holding it pointed down but at the ready. Ren nodded back at him, then began to stalk off, letting the force guide him to where he needed to go.

It took almost ten minutes until they found what they were looking for. Through the trees Ren could see a clearing surrounded by primitive barbed wire fencing; in it was a building of solid construction, with plants growing up its walls. If this was a military outpost, then it was not a very impressive one. Ren quietly put down his bag and crouched on the ground to stay out of sight. Hux followed suit. As Ren looked closer he saw what looked like a torpedo silo at the other side of the compound.

“What do you think?” Ren asked in a hushed whisper.

“Definitely military,” Hux confirmed. “Or what passes for it in these parts. The area around the building has been cleared to give the soldiers a clear line of sight to take out intruders, but the outer defences leave a lot to be desired. There doesn’t seem to be so much as a force field. As for weaponry, there are a couple of blaster turrets, a very old model, but they will still kill us just as quickly if we get caught in their firing range. The obvious thing is the ground-to-air torpedo cannons; they look completely out of place. The whole compound seems so primitive, but they are top of the line.”

“You think this is where the torpedos that attacked us were launched from?” Ren asked.

“I wouldn’t rule it out, it’s the correct equipment. It looks like a recent addition as well, you’ll notice the local flora hasn’t begun to grow on it yet. The weaponry could have been a present from the resistance.”

“If they’ve been in cahoots with the Resistance this whole time, then someone’s going to pay,” Ren said. He could feel his rage bubbling under the surface, and was having trouble keeping his voice down. Before he could think it through he was standing up, ready to storm towards the building and kill anyone in his way.

“Kylo don’t,” Hux pleaded, “Those turrets will tear you apart.” He took hold of Ren’s arm and pulled him back into cover.

“They have to pay, Hux,” Ren insisted. He was ready to push Hux away and continue his attack, but the worried look on Hux’s face stopped him in his tracks.

“They _will_ pay,” Hux implored. Ren noticed that he hadn’t let go of his arm yet. “But you can’t run in there without a plan. We need a way to bring down the turrets if we have any hope of storming the base.”

“How do you propose we do that?” Ren asked.

“There must be a back entrance somewhere,” Hux said. “If the troops were distracted enough then I could slip in unnoticed and disable the turrets from the weapon station.”

“You can’t go in there alone, Hux, it’s far too dangerous,” Ren replied; somewhat shocked by the mere suggestion. “Besides, what happens when the turrets come down and they figure out what you’ve done? I won’t be able to protect you.”

“I don’t need your protection, Ren. I may not have your force but I am perfectly capable,” Hux hissed; his face flushed with anger. “In fact I am insulted that you think so little of my abilities.”

“I didn't mean-”

“I don't want to hear it,” Hux cut in before Ren could finish his sentence. “Just wait here while I do some recon, and don't do anything stupid.”

Before Ren could say anything more, Hux was already creeping through the trees on the outskirts of the compound. He cursed under his breath, but waited where he was for Hux to return. The only thing he could do was hope that he didn't get caught.

———

Hux was furious. He thought that he and Ren had formed a bond over these past few days; he thought that Ren respected him, but apparently not. It was insulting that he thought Hux needed protecting, as if he were some defenceless civilian, not the head of the greatest military force in the galaxy. He’d show Ren what he could do.

He slowly made his way around the perimeter, keeping low and out of sight. As he got nearer to the building he heard voices from the aliens inside; speaking a language that was not basic. He scoffed silently at the primitive beasts, and carried on his search for a chink in their defences. A few moments later he found a back entrance, just as he hoped he would. It was a staircase at the back of the building, guarded by two armed soldiers. If Ren did his thing, and made enough of a scene at the other side of the compound, then Hux was confident that they would abandon their post to aid their fellow soldiers.

Hux smirked to himself as he made his way back to where he had left Ren, and hoped he had stayed put. Thankfully Ren had been sensible, and had done as he was told.

“There is a back entrance, as I suspected,” Hux informed him. “I should have no trouble getting in if they're distracted by you.”

“That's great,” Ren replied glumly.

“Don't be such a misery, Ren, this is good news.”

“I know. I just-” Ren trailed off, clearly not wanting to finish that thought. “It doesn't matter.”

Hux frowned, wondering what he was going to say. His voice had become thick and soft with emotion, and he had averted his eyes. But there was no time to figure out what was going on; Hux desperately wanted to get of this godforsaken planet. He put his hand on Ren's shoulder to get his attention, and it felt warm and solid beneath him. Ren looked at him with sad eyes.

“Give me a few minutes to get into position,” Hux told him, now he had his attention again. “Then attack the building to distract the enemy. They should be scared enough to forget anything other than you; you can be rather terrifying.”

Ren smiled weakly at that. “Okay, Hux, I’ll do it,” Ren said. He took Hux's hand in his own, and looked at him with such sincerity that it made Hux’s chest hurt. “Just- please be careful.”

Hux didn't know what to say. Ren didn't think he was incapable; he was just worried about him. It was rather sweet, but unnecessary. “I’ll be fine, Ren,” Hux told him firmly. He took his hand from Ren’s grasp, then before he could stop himself he briefly caressed his cheek, then hurried off to get into position. There was a lump in his throat as he crept towards the back entrance once more.

Once he was there he didn't have to wait long for the plan to be put in motion. Everything was silent in the base, until suddenly he could hear yelling, and an alarm was set off. Hux smiled as he watched the soldiers guarding the back entrance abandon their post, leaving him his way inside. When he was certain they weren't coming back, Hux got his blaster at the ready and walked into the building. He went straight up a flight of stairs, which brought him to what looked like the barracks; all empty. He moved further in, the sound of shouting and blaster fire increasing as he went.

In the next room, just before what Hux assumed to be the main area of the base, he found what he was looking for. A solitary Rodian sitting behind a terminal, focusing intently on the screen. Hux could see a dark figure surrounded by a blur of red light in the gunner's crosshairs. His stomach lurched at the sight.

Hux put his blaster in its holster, and switched to the knife hidden up his sleeve. He snuck up on the Rodian, the alarm muffling the sound of his footsteps, and grabbed him by the snout; pulling his head back to expose his throat. The alien struggled for only a moment, his eyes wide with fear, before Hux quickly and efficiently sliced his throat open. He held his victim still as blood gushed from the wound, soaking Hux's already filthy uniform. In the soldier's dying moments he tried in vain to stem the flow of blood; grasping desperately at the ruin of his neck. But it was too late; too much blood had already been lost, and the Rodian finally went still. Hux wiped the blood off his knife on the leg of his trousers, slid it back into its sheath, then shoved the body out of his way so he could get a better look at the weapon station. It was, as expected, highly outdated hardware, but it was nevertheless familiar enough that Hux could figure out the controls. Now he had a better look at view screen it showed Ren outside; his lightsaber swinging, cloak billowing out behind him, and his eyes alight with rage. It was quite a captivating sight. Hux smirked to himself as he tapped away at the station to shut down the turrets outside. It wouldn't be long until they figured out what he had done and came looking for him.

Since he was going to be discovered anyway, Hux decided to shut the weapon station down a little more permanently. He pulled his blaster back out and shot the console where it would do the most damage. Now moving quickly, Hux pulled the console away from the wall and crouched behind it, using it as cover, and leveled his blaster at the doorway.

A few seconds later he heard the heavy footsteps of booted feet coming towards him. The Rodian soldier swung fast around the corner, pointing his blaster at Hux. But Hux was faster; he shot the soldier square in the chest, and he went down with a thud. He heard a few rasping breaths before the soldier went quiet. The next one would be more careful now.

———

Blaster shots were flying at Ren at an alarming rate; those outdated turrets were more powerful than he had imagined. But he only needed to last long enough for Hux to shut them down; taking the base would be trivial once that was accomplished.

The soldiers in the base were up on the second level, so they had a good position to fire upon him. It was another complication that was stopping him making progress. All he could do was stand his ground and wait for Hux to do his thing. Kriff, he hoped Hux was okay. That momentary lapse in concentration was all it took for a blaster shot to get through his defences. Fortunately it only glanced off his shoulder, but it was still painful, and Ren let out a yell of anguish; letting the pain fuel his connection to the dark side. He deflected the next shot more accurately, and took out one of the soldiers.

A few seconds later the turrets stopped firing; Hux had made it. He was relieved, but there was no time to celebrate. He pushed forward now, storming up the stairs and into the base, deflecting shots as he went. The first enemy he came across looked terrified, but he wasted no time in slicing open their chest. The next few moments were a blur of blood, burnt flesh, and blaster fire. The Rodians fell one by one to Ren’s blade, until eventually they were all dead or dying.

“Hux?” Ren called out. “It's done.”

Ren kept his lightsaber ignited as he heard the sound of boots in the hallway, just in case it wasn't Hux. He gasped when he got a look at his Grand Marshal stalking into the room, knife in hand, his uniform drenched in blood. Hux smirked when he saw the look on Ren's face. “Not my blood,” he said.

They stood there for a few moments, staring at each other across the carnage, then Hux dropped his knife and rushed to Ren’s side. Ren switched off his lightsaber and followed suit; pulling Hux into his arms, uncaring of the blood. Hux took Ren’s face between his blood-stained hands, and pulled him in for a ferocious kiss. Ren moaned against Hux’s lips and kissed him back with equal enthusiasm; grabbing Hux and pulling him flush against his body. He didn't even care that Hux had rubbed alien blood all over his face, he just wanted him to keep touching him. Hux's hands slid into Ren’s hair, and pulled gently; just enough for him to feel the tug. He responded by letting his head fall back.

For a moment Ren felt disappointed that the kiss had ended, until Hux started to kiss his neck. It felt so good. He moaned Hux’s name, and threaded his hands into his hair. As Hux lavished attention on Ren’s neck, he trailed his hands down his arms, but stopped suddenly and pulled away when he touched the blaster burn on his left bicep. Ren had completely forgotten it was there.

“Kylo, you’re injured!” Hux exclaimed.

“Doesn't matter,” Ren insisted, as he tried to pull Hux in for another kiss. But Hux held up his hand to stop him.

“It could get infected,” Hux said. “It needs treating.”

Ren groaned; he knew he wouldn't be allowed to kiss Hux again until he had seen to his wound. He was stubborn like that.

“I’m going to get a med-pack,” Hux told him. “Wait here.”

“But what about the comm?” Ren asked Hux's already retreating back.

“When you are no longer bleeding,” Hux called back over his shoulder. Then he was gone; back out of the base to where they had left their bags prior to the attack. There were probably med-packs here in the base; it was a military installation after all, but knowing Hux he would never use anything but First Order equipment, unless he had no other choice.

While he was waiting for Hux to return he had a look around the main room he was in, trying to find a comm station. He had never been particularly technically minded, but he knew enough to recognise a comm when he saw one. It didn't take long to ascertain that the comm was not in this room; it must have been elsewhere. Just then he let out a powerful yawn as a wave of tiredness washed over him. The adrenaline from the fight must have been wearing off, so he found somewhere to sit. A few moments later Hux came back into the room.

“I couldn't manage both,” Hux told him, as he put one of their bags down on a nearby counter. “But we shouldn't need it anyway now we have a way off this hellish planet.”

“Fair enough,” Ren said as he stifled another yawn. Hux rummaged inside the bag for a few seconds, then produced a med-pack from somewhere in the depths.

“Sit here,” Hux said, gesturing to a nearby chair. Ren did as he was told, and waited for Hux to see to his wound; now that his adrenaline was gone it was starting to hurt a lot more. Hux carefully cut away the fabric around the wound so he could get to it properly. He ended up having to take off almost all of his left sleeve. Ren tried not to wince as Hux pulled away the material that had got stuck in the dried blood of his wound, but didn't quite manage it.

“Do you need a painkiller?” Hux asked. He sounded genuinely concerned as he gently stroked Ren's hair.

“Please,” Ren replied. He was too tired to pretend it didn't hurt anymore. Hux continued to stroke Ren’s hair as he administered the pain killing shot to his neck. He sighed as he felt the pain dulling, thanks to the drug spreading through his bloodstream.

After that Hux got on with tending to his injury. He cleaned the area first, gently dabbing it with disinfectant, and wiping it with a sterilised wipe from the med-pack. Ren could feel what he was doing, but it didn't hurt anymore. Once the area was clean he covered it with bacta, then dressed it with a bandage. Hux got Ren to move his arm so he could wrap the bandage all the way around his bicep and secure it properly.

“All done,” Hux said eventually.

“You're gorgeous, you know,” Ren said suddenly, as he looked up at Hux, admiring his features.

“I only meant to give you a low dosage,” Hux responded. He frowned as he took another look at the packaging for the pain killing drug, making sure he had not made a mistake.

“No Hux, I mean it,” Ren told him firmly, leaving no room for uncertainty. “I’m a fool for not seeing it sooner.”

“I guess you're pretty bloody gorgeous yourself,” Hux said with a shy smile. Ren got to his feet with a grin, and pulled Hux back into his arms for another kiss. Hux huffed breathlessly in response, then put his arms around Ren’s neck and deepened the kiss.

“Thank you for getting us through this, Kylo,” Hux murmured, when they managed to stop kissing for a moment. “I would never have made it without you.”

“I appreciate your gratitude,” Ren said, amused. “But I have to point out that we’re still on Rodia.”

“Oh kriff,” Hux cursed. “I haven't even commed the ship yet.”

Ren chuckled fondly as Hux rushed off to find a working comm unit. He had to admit he was pleased with himself that his kisses had got Hux so distracted. Ren sat back down and waited for Hux to make the call, as he felt another wave of tiredness wash over him. He’d be more than happy to see his own bed again, happier still if he could convince Hux to share it.

“This is Grand Marshal Hux,” he heard Hux bark in the other room. He must finally be in contact with the fleet. “The Supreme Leader and I are still alive. We await extraction from these coordinates. Beware of potential rebel activity in this system.”

A few moments later Hux came back into the room, and Ren could see how exhausted he looked. “How long will it be?” he asked.

“Half an hour, all being well,” Hux said. “It's almost over.”

“That's good,” Ren replied.

“Yes. I can't wait to get a shower.”

“Maybe we should shower together,” Ren suggested, grinning.

“I would not be adverse to that.” Hux smirked in return.

Half an hour later a shuttle from the _Finalizer_ landed outside the building to take them back home. They were battered, bruised, and filthy, but they were alive, and the rebels of this planet were going to pay tenfold for all they had endured.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this work then please leave a comment below. You can follow me on tumblr as [ragdoll-hux](http://ragdoll-hux.tumblr.com).


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